refiners fire for the potter

I picked a 2 liter coke off the conveinient store shelf and one of them dropped on the floor and exploded. The whole day has gone like that. actually not just from 6pm till I made a cocktail to wind down for the day. What really set the evening off was my electric kiln was programmed to start a hold at 250 degrees and dry out my greenware before going into the bisque firing. Well it didnt and 2 hrs later I walk into the studio and i hear boom...pop and 600 degrees reading on the display screen. I opened the kiln to find the bottles and teacups that are pictured blown up. I have a trunk show at mudfire gallery in decatur georgia on the 23 of this month(jan 2010) and was hoping to add these pieces to my sale. I am pretty sure that I can throw the pieces again and green glaze them on time for the next weekend. It blew me up at the time but now that I've wound down I realize that I can make it happen and in the process learn a few things that might not have come up had this not happened. I have a couple months before show season and workshops start so I might as well Diagnosis the kiln and fix whatever might be wrong. I couldn't help put to preach a small line off my own artist statement to myself which says " I welcome mistakes and struggles, it brings triumph and character." Lookin at my little boy helped me realize also that Everythings fine and will be as long as I keep my head focused on what is important which is my family. So thats that...yesterdays gone and today is here. come check out the trunk show On Jan 23 2-6pm at mudfire gallery in Decatur Georgia. keep pottin and try not to sweat the small stuff.

Finished making some new jars. Spring schedule is lookin good. Hosting workshops and doing some good shows. I can see the new road revealing itself and I'm excited. I wasn't able to get off all my workshop packets at once because of cost but I'm filtering them out there and getting good responses. Once again here is the spring schedule: host workshop@John C Campbell folk school("creating soft pots")march 28-Apr3, 4 Bridges art fair(apr 17-18)chattanooga, TN, Magic City Art connection(apr23-25)Birmingham, AL, TACA spring fair first weekend in may,Nashville, TN, Host workshop@Arkansas Craft School(memorial day weekend), Columbus arts festival(june 4-6 columbus,OH), I hopefully will be giving another workshop at Coreclay in cinncinati,OH beginning of august, still waiting to hear back but will keep everyone updated. I think this will be all I can handle this spring. I will get my garden in and cultivating lots of yummy veggies. My son will be walking and soon I will be able to get some child labor out of him, he'll love it cause theres dirt involved. Hope everyone is stayin warm and pots aren't freezing. Take care,
Shadow

Back form christmas holidays, back into our home and daily life routine. Benjamin Rocket was a hit for his first christmas. Even grandma has a crush on him because he's so damn cute. We were to no one surprise able to give pots for presents this year. Sometimes the value of my work seems to diminish when i look at it all the time. But to the person recieving, it's like a treasure. I was thankful for being able to be with my family and friends another year and for the gift to create things with my hands. looking forward to the new year and what new opportunities arise. Just as a quick reminder for those reading, Our spring show season is not as packed full but we're hoping for a good one. Here it is: "creating soft pots" John C. Campbell folk school,March 28-Apr 3, (4 Bridges Art fair) April 17-18 2010 Chattanooga,Tn, (ONB Magic City Art Connection) Apr 23-25 Birmingham, AL, (TACA Spring fair) May 7,8,9 2010 Nashville, TN, (Columbus Arts Festival) June 4-6 Columbus,OH, in between shows I hope to be making more work, playing with my son and wife and bbquing somethin with my friends.

Focused Ideas, hopeful opportunities

Pots are evolving, even though I don't get as much time in the studio like I was used to. Working at nite seems to be going well even though I like being up in the morning. My mind and motivation seem to work better in the day but it's more peaceful at nite. Having our son has taken alot of time away from making work for now but my ideas and progression have been more spontaneous and deliberate. I think that time working is more precious to me now than when I was in there everyday all day. I've been developing a new body of work that is really cool to me. Being simple with my work with simple gestures has been a way of working for awhile now. Only now do I feel like I'm making new discoveries in the clay. I'm definetely going for a more caveman look with a strong, permanent presence. I've thought that if Fred Flinstone was japanese and he threw pots they'd be something like this. Not going to do as many shows this year but I'm finally sending out my packets to potentially teach at craftcenters/colleges. That has been a process and really affirmed my hunger for wanting to get out there and share the ideas that i'm working on. I hope for the best. Don't think I'm going to do the Rosen show this year...Just can't afford it right now. Kinda of a bummer but other doors will open. Hoping for a strong start to the year , full of juicy pots and good health for my family and me.